Hydraulic cellulose steeping press



5 Sheets-Sheet l H. F.- MacMlLLlN Filed Jan. 50,' 1935 HYDRAULI C CELLULO S E S'IEEP ING PRES S sept. s, 1936.

Sept. 8, QE.

Filed Jan. 3o, 1933 INVENTOR.

M ATTORNEYS Sept M3@ H. F. MacMlLLlN HYDRAULIC CELLULOSE STEEPING PRAESS Filed Jan. 30, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

ATTOREYS 1% -mgl SeptQS, 1936. H.- F. `Ma'MnQLJN V HYDRAULIC CELLULOSE STEEPING PRESS Filed Jan. so, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY;

Patented Sept. 8, i936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC CEILLOSE STEEPING PRESS Howard F. Minimum, Mount, Gilead, ohio, as'- signor, by mesne assignments, to The Hydraulicvlress Corporation, Inc., Wilmington, Del.,

a corporation ot Delaware Application January so, i933, sei-iai No. 654,297 2 (ci. 10c-5o) of the utmost importance to the success of the My invention relates to a hydraulic cellulose steeping press and in particular to a double acting ram press.

It is my object to providea double acting piston ram press in which the ram is axially aligned with the press and in combination with Va closed circulatory system for operating a ram with the press.

In particular it is my object to provide a press adapted for the compression of cellulose and 1o cellulose mixtures; and to provide a hydraulic' pressure system for applying the pressure to the cellulose in order to cushion yieldingly the pressure applied thereto in order to adjustthe-.pressure to the rate of flow of the cellulose ag' -d the pressure to be applied thereto.

f An object of the invention is touprovidefa con.

struction which includes a motor, :fa pump and a shaft for actuating the pump with the horizontal support mounted on and 'insubstantlal alignment with the' topmost portion of the fluid tank. the support being adapted to maintain the mechanism is carried above the press and above the oor while the press ram itself is in direct line with the thrust oi the press, the press acting las a cylinder in which one end of the ram is a piston and piston rod and the piston on the other end of the rod is acted upon on both sides by the hydraulic pressure for actuating the ram thus formed.

It is an object of my invention to provide a -v system of tie-bolts so that the pressure is equally distributed and directly distributed beneath the stresses and strains of the structure.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a method of pressing and an apparatus therefor by which the pressoperates at a controlled. even rate of speed in compressing the l cellulose and the caustic soda. solution; and is so set that after the ram has travelled forwardly so as to compress the saturated pulp, the hydraulic line pressure c pump mechanism toward neutral and the pump will deliver suilicient volume to make up for any internal oil slippage and will retain the definite required pressure. c

The accurate maintenance of the pressure is automatically move the application of the press to the manufacture of rayon, inasmuch as the nal caustic soda content of the cellulose must be held within close limits for the ultimate success of the process. 'I'his caustic soda solution'is closely related to the speed of the pressv ram travel forwardly, the pressure applied and maintained and the length of time the pressure is held.

It is my object to provide a particularly sensitive control mechanism due to the straight line reaction'of the stroke regulator of the pump and loading spring and Apressure piston, and it will be noted that the reaction of the control members is in the same plane as the reaction of the pump plungers.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the press.

Figure 2 is atop plan View thereof.

Figure 3 is a detailed vertical section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4 oi Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section through the pump on the line 5 5 of Figure 3 showing the pump in pressing position.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the pump in return position.

Figure 7 is a similar view showing the pump in neutral position.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 4.

In the process of manufacturing rayon,- cel- I lulose is received in sheet form either as wood pulp or cotton linters.l I place these sheets in the press of my invention where they are immersed and soaked in a sodium hydrate solution such as caustic soda for a periodici one to two hours at low temperature, by virtue of which they are caustic soda content of the cellulose, which must be held within close limits for the ultimate success of the process as this content is closely related to the speed of the press ram travel, pressure applied and maintained, and the length of time the pressure is held so that it is necessary to bring the contents of the press to a given state of compression at a given rate and then to hold that pressure automatically and likewise automatically make up for any internal oil slippage or other variable factors in the interior operation cf the press, while maintaining at the ram the definite requiredpressure.

I provide a foundation press head block I `carrying a press head 2 reinforced by the ribs 3. This press head carries laterally disposed eyes 4 for receiving the longitudinally arranged rods 5 which are retained in position by the nuts 6. Mounted on this press head are bottom plates 1 and side plates 8. The bottom plate is supported by a plurality of transversely arranged I-beams 9. 'I'he opposite end of the pressing tank is formed by the head I0 which carries the stuiling box II. lIn the inside of the tank is located a false bottom I2 and in the bottom 1 is a drain I3 for draining oif the surplus acetate, which can be introduced into the tank through the port I4 or in any other manner desired.

In this tank there are located a plurality of foraminous plates consisting of a center plate l5 and side foraminous plates I6. These sets of platesare connected by any desired means such as chains or other spacers.

The side walls of the tank carry the platen guide rails I1 for engaging the sides of the press platen I8 which is mounted on the right hand end of the piston rod I9 that constitutes the ram.

This ram is mounted within the press cylinder 20 which is supported at one end by the block 2| having eyes 22 receiving the left hand ends of the stay bolts 5 carrying the nuts 5a. This portion of the press cylinder rests upon a foundation block 23 while its extreme felt hand end rests on the foundation block 24.

The ram piston I9 carries at its left hand end the ram piston 34. When in its extreme left hand position, a space 35 is left between the end of the piston 34 and the end 36 of the press cylinder 20. This press cylinder is ported at 31 for communication with a T connector 38 that carries on one side the pipe 39 and on the other side the pipe 40.

The diameter of the piston rod I9 is, of course, less than the diameter of the interior of the press cylinder 20, leaving the space 4I which is supplied with fluid through the port 42 connected to the pipe 43. A suitable packing 44 is provided at the press cylinder 20 around the piston I9.

Mounted upon this press cylinder 20 on the b lock 2l and the bracket 2 la is an oil supply tank 45. A saddle 46 mounted on this tank supports the motor 41 that drives through its armature shaft and coupling 48 the pump 49, the details oi' which will be hereinafter explained. This pump is connected by the pipe 50 to the shuttle valve generally designated 5I. connected to the press cylinder at oneend thereof by the 'pipe 43. The oil supply tank 45 is connected to the center of this valve by the pipe 52. The other end of this valve 5I is connected to the pipe on one side and by the pipe 53 to the pump 49 on the other side. A shuttle valve member 5Ia is adapted to control the ports 5Ib and Operation-Ram position Assuming the parts to be in the position as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4, which is the return positionl for the apparatus, the pressure is on the pump connection so that pressure is in the line 50 which closes the shuttle valve. Suction is on the line 53 and the line 4D and the port 'Ihis shuttle valve is.

the check valve 39h in the valve 39o and thence passes through the pipe 39, T connection 38, pipe 40, through the shuttle valve 5I to thev pipe 53 on the suction side of the pump. 'I'he surplus 011 from the large end ofthe press ram is exhausted back to the tank through the shuttle valve inasmuch as the pump suction is identical with the pump discharge, plus internal slippage; hence the amount of Aoil that it can take up is equal to the pump displacement applied to the differential end of the piston 34 in the space 4I. As soon as the piston 34 reaches the position as shown, the pump volume under pressure in the space 4I will discharge through the line 39a, check valve 39c, pipe line 39 which communicates with the opposite side of the press support, thereby allowing the oil to circulate at low pressure.

Pressing position which controls the threaded end of a long bushing marked 6I. 'This bushing' connects with the rod 55 through the nut 62 actuated by the stroke control wheel 54.

Acting in opposition to the reaction of the spring 51 is the piston 63 in the control cylinder 64 on the opposite end of the pump which connects to the opposite side of the stroke control ring 56 through the rod 65. 'I'he differential area between the.piston 63 and rod 65 is subjected to pressure developed by the pump on the forward side of the press piston 34, that is, the full area. The pipe connection at 66 in the cylinder 64 communicates with the main pipe connection of the pump. When the hydraulic line pressure developed by the pump acts on the piston 63 suiiiciently to overcome lthe opposite force of the spring 51, the piston will move the stroke control ring 56 of the pump toward the central or neutral position shown in Figure '7, thus causing the pump to maintain a given pressure at a reduced or zero output. During the initial forward movement of the ram, the pump is held on full stroke in pressing position.

The press ram I9 and 34 with its platen I8 moving forwardly enters the steeping tank carrying forward its platen I8. 'I'he platen is guided by the Yrails I1. There is suicient space below the false bottom I2 for the drainage of the liquid from the sheets of cellulose. The sheets of cellulose are stacked in the tank vertically between the division plates, the drain opening from the tank is closed and the tank is filled with a caustic soda solution. After soaking the cellulose in this solution for a deiinite length of time, the drain outlet is again opened, allowing the excess to run off. The press is then started forward at a controlledrate of speed as set with the pressure regulator hand wheel 60. This is set for av definite lirnit.A After the press ram has travelled forwardly so as to compress the saturated pulp, the hydraulic line pressure exerted on the full area of the piston 34 will reach the point where 'this same pressure appliedto the pipe connection 66 on the control cylinder 64 will overcome the setting of the spring 51 in the control heus-'- ing El and pull the pump strokevmechanism toward neutral. 'Ihe pump will thus'deliver Just sumcient volume to make up for any internal oil slippage and will maintain vdei'lnite required pressure for the final pressing operation so that the final caustic soda content of the cellulose will be held within the closelimits for the ultimate success of the process.

The control thus provided is particularly sensitive in action due to the straight line reaction of the stroke regulating mechanism of the pump, the loading spring and the pressure piston. It will be noted that the reaction of these control members is in the same plane as the reaction of the pump plungers.

The pump comprises a central discharge member 61, a rotor 68 having cylinders 69, a plurality of reciprocating pistons 'I0 having a cross head 1| engaging with the shoes 'lcarried in the ring 13. The eccentric relationship between the shoes 12 and the ring 13 with the cross head 'Il and piston 10 with respect to the rotor 68 determines the throw of the pump and therefore I utilize adjusting mechanism as hereinbefore described.

The construction shown provides a unitaryvarrangement considerably shortening the pipe connections for fluid from the tank to and from the various elements including the valve mechanism, ram and pump, the mounting of the pump on the fluid tank and the motor as well whereby the shaft connecting the motor and pump is in alignment with and parallel to the fluid tank and the ram with the shuttle valve in alignment with the axis of the tank, the axis ofv the shuttle valve being in the plane with the axes of the motor pump and ram insures a more positive operation of the parts, less danger of leakage and an improved assemblage of these elements, with shorter pipe connections by which fluid is conducted to the various parts.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as may be clearly embraced within the scope of my claims and invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a steeping press, a steeping tank, a -ram aligned with said tank, a press head connected to said ram and a second press head connected to said steeping tank, said press heads being interconnected by strain rods adapted to maintain said tank and ram vin alignment, a horizontal iluid tank having one end supported by. said ram and the other end supported by one of said press heads, a motor-driven pump unit mounted on said fluid tank, including a motor, a pump and a shaft for actuating said pump, a horizontal support mounted on and in substantial alignment with the topmost portion of said fluid tank, said support being adapted to maintain the motor shaft in parallel relation to the tank and ram, and a shuttle valve in alignment with the axis of the iiuid tank, the axis of the shuttle valve being in the same plane with the axes of the motor, pump and ram.

2. In a steeping press, a horizontalsteeping I tank. a horizontal ram aligned with said. steeping tank, a press h ead connected to said ram and a second press head connected to said steeping tank, said press heads being interconnected by strain rods adapted to maintain said tank and ram in alignment, a horizontal fluid tank supported by said ram and by one of said heads, a motor-driven pump unit including a motor shaft connecting the pump and motor supported by 4said fluid tank, said uid tank having at one end HOWARD F. MACMILLIN. 

